As many of you know or if you don't you'll most definitely come to know, I am a HUGE music fanatic and love to categorize my music choices especially by different aesthetics and moods -- unfortunately [but also fortunately] this also leads to me hyperfixating on a good amount of amazing songs and artists. So many of them I find criminally underrated while others my mainstream guilty pleasures. It should be considered almost unhealthy how many artists and songs I can keep on repeat without getting tired in one sitting. One day however, I was minding my own business working on an *upcoming* project (hint HINT), listening to my music, nothing out of the ordinary. Suddenly, I had an out-of-the-blue thought: " Wait a minute -- what kind of person am I not sharing my music taste and all this talent to my favorite community? This is needs to be explored by EVERYBODY!" When I tell you I jumped up in an INSTANT to curate a list and write an article for this exact reasoning I mean it!
With the current list of artists that I came up with, though pretty small, its safe to say they all bring something to the table. Whether that something brings me nostalgia, uplifts my mood, motivates me to become my best self and get my work done (talking to the 10+ projects I have sitting on the side just begging to be released soon), or sends me down a rabbit hole of similar taste; a list this versatile I can guarantee you'll be in for something special. These artists, some older, some modern, have been in my music rotation for the past few weeks and with that in mind I'm sure you'll find at least one if not all of them even more enjoyable than I do! There's a vast difference in subgenres so my best piece of advice to you here: just try to keep up OK?! Now I'm not here to keep you all waiting cause god knows I can go on and on especially with my excitement! So without further ado I give you:
6 favorite artists currently in my music rotation!!!
THE GARDEN
First up is my absolute favorite chaotic duo The Garden. I got 2 words for you: Wyatt and Fletcher. These two really know how to keep your mind stimulated, you'll never EVER go bored hearing a song of theirs! If you know anything about The Garden, you know their mixing of punk and electronica is really what makes them THEM -- Along with the obscure joker/jester makeup they typically wear in music videos and onstage and their punk-indie-glam inspired style, they are quite literally the definition of a DIY band. The Garden is the type of band you put on to make anybody's blood pressure go up, to make you wanna go 100 down an empty highway, to start a moshpit with your friends -- they have the perfect songs for when you need your mind absolutely RACING! They also have very similar elements to dubstep/bass music and with my huge love for EDM it's no wonder my favorite twins made their way back into my musical circle!
Now I've been a fan of The Garden for a while, at least 5 years now but as of 2020 I've noticed them gaining a lot of traction and popularity throughout their fanbase. This is probably credited to a few of their songs going viral on Tik Tok and honestly I'm not mad at it! They're very talented guys and they've deserved this for a long time. I remember seeing them on runways as Saint Laurent models while also making music so its really impressive to see how far they've come and how much their hard work's paid off! Now for all you new fans, don't worry I got you covered. As you'll see with a lot of artists on this list, I couldn't pick just one song nor album to talk about so you know I ALSO had to make a list of the various songs I've been listening to. I hope you guys genuinely like them and if you venture out to other songs let me know which ones are your favorite!
SONG NAMES:
Call This # Now
This Could Build Us a Home
Sneaky Devil
Play Your Cards Right
California Here We Go
Thy Mission (featuring Mac DeMarco)
Chainsaw the Door
What Else Could I Be But a Jester
Please Fuck Off
MACHINE GIRL
Speaking of electronic bands my GOD is this one of my absolute FAVORITES. The lovely babe, Matt Stephenson, came up with the concept of Machine Girl back in 2012, later adding percussionist Sean Kelly to it, and in turn becoming the ultimate duo. Machine Girl is the perfect industrial band for insufferable people like me who like to annoy those around them about every little subgenre in electronic music and what the difference between them could possibly be (Just kidding! A little.) But in all seriousness, I truly believe Machine Girl is going to become one of the biggest faces in the new age breakcore scene, mainly because they have been doing an amazing job introducing the current generation of fans to the roots of breakcore i.e drum n bass, punk, and hardcore. It is especially relevant considering the key fundamentals of Machine Girl comes from the duos artistic influences.
In a 2020 interview with Revolver Magazine, they state "Lightning Bolt, Melt Banana, Boredoms, Dillinger Escape Plan, Aphex Twin and anything Zach Hill has touched (Death Grips, Hella, his solo work)" for their musical influences. When you listen to their music, you notice how big of an impact cinematography has on them as well. Songs like Ginger Claps, Out By 16 Dead On the Scene, Sad Claps, Phase Alpha, and Excruciating Deth you'll notice reference "Ginger Snaps", a 2000 cult classic horror film starring notable scream queen Katherine Isabelle along side Emily Perkins as outcast sisters. The title "Machine Girl" comes from a 2008 Japanese action film "The Machine Girl" starring gravure idol and actress Minase Yashiro; Stephenson actually notes that he chose the name to "represent the female energy" that he wanted the band to capture. Gender identity is most certainly another factor that brings influence onto the band. As Stephenson who goes by they/them pronouns puts it, "It's not something that has a super deep meaning, but gender is definitely something that I feel a little bit of fluidity with, and Machine Girl early on was definitely one way of exploring that".
I consider Machine Girl to be one of the best introduction bands to the modern noise and electro-punk scene. Just like The Garden, I really hope to see them go even farther because this is truly a group of some of the most talented people I've seen in awhile. For me personally,, they're becoming more and more of an inspiration due to the fact I relate to them on so many levels. The pop cultural references and influences they put unto their art is so real and something I love doing for myself and to show my audience. It's really important for me to show and give credit to those that have came before me, how far they've come, and in what ways they were able to bring me inspiration . Not to mention I love spreading the knowledge I have onto you guys because it brings me so much joy to teach others as much as it is for me to learn through research (I like to call myself a natural born teacher because I swear I'm always bringing some type of fun fact into a conversation LOL). Whether they do it intentionally or not, this is exactly what Machine Girl does with their music. With the song titles referencing other works of art to just outright sampling them, they're giving their own audience a chance to learn about their rooted influences in art which in turn creates a newer widespread audience for said art! It also gives them a chance to bond and connect with each other through this and I find it beautiful that we're all given the opportunity to do so. I really hope you all enjoy them just as much as I do because they definitely deserve all the love and I give it a few months or less before we truly see them get bigger than they are right now!
SONG NAMES:
Uzumaki
Frenesi
Greaze
Athoth a Go Go
Ghost
Krystle
Xleepy
Cyan Hardcore
Ride It (with LustsickPuppy)
Phase Alpha
Ginger Claps
THXSOMCH
THXSOMUCH is a very VERY new artist but that hasn't stopped him because he's already caught the eyes and ears of millions of people all over the world! He reminds me a lot of the post-punk, doom, "darkwave" bands such as Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Sisters of Mercy, Christian Death, and more recently, Molchat Doma and ironically, darkwave has been going through a resurgence of its own. One of the reasons THXSOMUCH and artists similar to him have been popping up and getting acknowledged on the scene I believe can be attributed to today's economic and societal climate.
Darkwave and current darkwave-inspired music shows the difficulties that our generation endures while going through a crisis (i.e the pandemic, natural disasters, climate change, economic/financial crash.) The relationships we have with each other, the relationships we have with ourselves, maintaining a false image both on and offline, trying to keep up with the progression of politics and so much more puts a toll on us as humans and this is exactly what THXSOMUCH's music captures -- a feel of melancholy, desolation, remoteness, and wildness (especially in his music videos) -- yet at the same time given an option of "c'est la vie", whatever happens, happens thus leaving you holding your breath for what's to come next. Its no wonder he's gained the attention of audiences on social media, more specifically on Tik Tok with his hit "Spit in My Face"! Though he only has a total of 9 songs in his discography at the time of writing this, I really see him receiving more praise and recognition for his work and authenticity -- he has a good thing going and I genuinely can't wait to see what he comes up with next!
SONG NAMES:
Spit in my Face
Hate
Keep It Tucked
A$AP ROCKY
(My fave Lana Del Rey featured artist yup)
Before becoming the father of her children and Rihanna's confidant/beau, A$AP Rocky was THEE biggest thing in music dating back to the early and mid 2010s. From making fashion statements and playing up his signature "pretty boy" image to configuring one of the most recognizable sounds to come out of New York with
his collective, ASAP Mob. My favorite part about A$AP is actually his openmindness towards his sound and his ability to adopt his sound with who he's worked with over time -- Skrillex, Clams Casino, Florence Welch, Mark Ronson, Lana Del Rey, FKA Twigs and Santigold,-- all from different genres of music yet somehow still able to make some of the best songs that hold up even a decade later.
I think majority of my audience is pretty familiar with Mr. Pretty Flacko so this pick of the list is one that speaks for itself. I've been going down a recent rabbit hole of artists part of the early hipster/indie scene - mainly pertaining to Black artists and creatives contributing to the scene - and of course with research comes the territory of listening to the music and as a music junkie, I have NO COMPLAINTS! A lot of the songs from this era transported me heavily to a time of thick wired framed glasses, snapback hats, and multicolored Baja hoodies worn by people all over. A$AP Rocky having a hand in the scene while going to show some success a decade later shows how much his music as truly stood the test of time. I'd actually go as far to say that A$AP was AHEAD of his time in some ways. I really hope we do see something new in the works for him coming soon because it is much needed and I, for one, cannot wait!
SONG NAMES:
PMW
LVL
Wild For the Night (ft. Skrillex)
Fukk Sleep
Fashion Killa
Purple Swag
Hell (ft. Santigold)
Pick it Up
Canal St.
CRYSTAL CASTLES
Coming back on a kicker of electronica, this infamous noise-witch house deemed band has been at the center of my attention for a few weeks now! If you were a little teeny bopper starting to find yourself and your niche interests during the prime of Crystal Castles like I was you'll remember just how much they truly shaped modern noise music. Ethan Kath being the brains behind the musical operation and Alice Glass being the front and center face, this Canadian pair left an undeniable mark during their 8 year reign together making classics such as Crimewave, Vanished, and Baptism, featuring on TV shows like Skins UK, and having their first self titled album placed #39 on NME's "Top 100 Greatest Albums of the Decade", winning the John Peel Award for Innovation at the NME Shockwave Awards in 2011, and having their second self titled album chart the Billboard 200 for the first time ever. Though it may not sound as big of a deal today, it certainly put more mainstream audiences onto their genre and ultimately contributed to witch house becoming more respected in the scene. One notable thing about Crystal Castles is how popular they were amongst older alternative bands as well; Their song "Not in Love" featuring The Cure singer Robert Smith became one of their highest charting singles; They were one of the supporting acts on Blur's comback tour in 2009; They also supported Nine Inch Nails with various tour dates for their 2008 "Lights in the Sky" North America tour dates.
Crystal Castles had its much needed in 2016 when Alice Glass left the group for good and was replaced with Edith Frances. It was later that Glass made a worldwide statement about Ethan Kath and his abuse towards her as well as other women during their time together when he was able to use his fame and connects within the industry. After winning a defamation suit against Kath, Glass continued to thrive on her own with her solo career, releasing a self titled EP "Alice Glass" in 2018. I actually had the pleasure of seeing Alice Glass live in 2017 when she was a supporting act for Marilyn Manson's "Heaven Upside Down" tour! (I still have videos from it so I'll be posting on my Instagram @yvessatanlaurent__!)
Although Crystal Castles had its end (for good reason), I'll always love them for how they inspired an entire generation, especially the next generation of artists. They weren't afraid to be themselves, they went outside the box of upbeat, pop-y songs and instead went darker, they embraced their darkness and let it show through their appearance, their personalities, their sound, and their lyrics. They're also another group thats been gaining recent popularity on Tik Tok, ushering in new listeners for those who might've been too young during their first go round (MUCH younger than I was which says a lot!) Even before fully knowing who they were, I had always seen Crystal Castles' music or seen them around in some form in the media (yes, even when I saw Alice live!) They're such an in depth group it's honestly hard for me to describe how influential they are for myself in only a few sentences. Just listening to their music alone will have them speaking for themselves more than any interview, publication, or photoshoot. So to REALLY get the true Crystal Castles experience you already know I have to give my highly suggested list of songs to start with. I hope you all are prepared to fall down a rabbit hole because these guys will surely make you find a way to do so!
SONG NAMES:
Untrust Us
Baptism
Courtship Dating
Crimewave
Vanished
Transgender
SKRILLEX
I mentioned in the beginning me doing research for a lot of indie/hipster tumblr scene content and how that leads to me going on a nostalgia run. Now don't get me wrong, I very much agree with that --but this artist is one that TRULY changed the game, not only in their own genre of EDM Dubstep but the ENTIRETY of music! Skrillex absolutely demolished the barriers of what we know as EDM (Electronic Dance Music) and curated something completely unheard of. This was at a time when mainstream Popstars, R&B artists, Rap artists, and so on were starting to experiment with a Proggressive/Electro-House sound, working with new DJs like Calvin Harris, David Guetta, Martin Garrix, Swedish House Mafia, and Avicii. Coming fresh off the hardcore scene as former frontman for the band From First to Last, Skrillex who originally went by his real name Sonny Moore, almost instantly popped off after the release of his EP "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites", one of the most groundbreaking releases to come from Electronic music alone.
Rediscovering Skrillex this year helped me with getting in touch with my inner child tremendously because even if you weren't a big fan of his back in the day, you'll always remember his music and influences being EVERYWHERE Just like in the prime of Crystal Castles, I was also pretty young when Skrillex's success hit massively. He practically had his foot in every piece of media since the early 2010s; from being credited for various video game soundtracks (i.e. Far Cry, Call of Duty, Lollipop Chainsaw) to movie and TV show soundtracks (i.e. Spring Breakers, Suicide Squad, Love Death and Robots, Deadpool 2, Divergent) to commercial advertisements and Youtube videos! His success gave us so many collaborations with other big names in the industry and made for iconic so many iconic songs that can't even be named with writing a MASSIVE essay! At the time of writing this Skrillex has actually put out his newest albums "Quest for Fire" and "Don't Get Too Close" -- I've only heard a few songs so far which I actually enjoyed especially considering he's collabing with more artists of our generation like PinkPanthress, Bladee, Yung Lean, Swae Lee, 100 Gecs, and Trippie Redd. He's also fresh off a tour with Fred again which was when I realized he was starting to go down a more techno/house route with his music. You can still tell his signature style of music and he does such a good job adapting his sound with the people he's working with. I really appreciate the talent he has and his ear for music so much because it's not often we'll get that much intricate detail in too many artists or creatives! I really recommend giving the new music a chance because I really feel we're gonna get something big sooner than we think almost like going back in time to prime Skrillex!
SONG NAMES:
Rumble
Torture Me (ft. 100 Gecs)
Ceremony (ft. Yung Lean and Bladee)
Real Spring (ft. Bladee)
We Bun Dem
Kill Everybody
Kyoto
Rock n Roll
First of the Year
Alejandro (remix)
Coming to the end of my 6 favorite artists, I know, I know, such a short list but trust me when I say they've had a massive chokehold on me for the past few weeks it's actually insane! I really hope you guys enjoy it and give each of them a try if you don't already. And if you do, don't be afraid to dig deeper into their discography because there's so many good tracks in there I quite literally haven't even scratched the surface, I gave something light in fact! This is just the first of my favorite active-rotation music artists so you'll be pleased to find out there's definitely more where that came from! I'm really excited for you guys to see what's coming next, I refuse to leave you hanging any longer than I have. We're coming in hot with so many amazing and intricate articles you won't even fathom it so STAY TUNED and I hope you all enjoy!!!
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